Indefinable Minos

If you ask followers of Baton Rouge music about the local group Minos the Saint, one of the first comments you’ll receive almost always concerns their sound and the difficulty listeners have in describing it. Even devoted fans of the band are unsure exactly which shopworn, generic labels to apply. Terms like “folk,” “rock,” “orchestral,” and “brass” all surface, but prove unsatisfactory as a means of characterizing Minos the Saint’s music. And that, say its members, is for the best. “The more ambiguous title we can use, the better,” said Peter Simon, the guitarist and primary songwriter. “Lately, I’ve been saying ‘chamber folk with brass,’ which speaks more to the instrumentation. It’s kind of a mystery, and I’m fine with that.”

Like its sound, Minos the Saint’s makeup diverges from a conventional arrangement. Along with Simon on acoustic guitar and vocals, the band consists of violinist Joel Willson, percussionist Micah Blouin, and multi-instrumentalist Ben Herrington, who plays keyboards, accordion, and trombone. The group also includes two full-time brass musicians, Arisia Gilmore on French horn and Jessica Ottaviano on trombone. The brass section expands for some performances, depending on the venue and event. Recent additional players include David Melancon (trumpet, flugelhorn) and Jose Morales (trumpet). 

Unpacking what constitutes “chamber folk,” Herrington explained that the term provides a quick way to encapsulate the band members’ diverse backgrounds, positioning the folk influences associated with acoustic instruments alongside a performance style which derives as much from orchestral chamber music. “We approach performance a lot like classical chamber musicians would, listening to and reacting to each other,” said Herrington, who holds a degree in music from LSU and supports himself as a freelance musician. Like him, most of the members are classically trained, having played in orchestras and jazz ensembles. “We’ve spent a lot of time in groups that weren’t song based,” Herrington added, “so we bring that to Peter’s songs and embellish them with equal parts classical, improvisation, and folk sounds. Peter may be the least classically trained of the group, but he knows how to talk to musicians, and this opens up the collaborative process for us.”

The group’s been performing as Minos the Saint for over three years now, although Simon and Herrington’s collaborations date back even earlier. During that time, the band has played extensively in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, priding themselves on energetic live shows and drawing a fanbase that embraces their variety and enthusiasm.

Live performance remains central to the group’s working methods. It provides a means of experimenting with approaches to different songs, trying out ideas and possible variations before settling on the form a specific piece will take, maybe if just for that performance. “Everything we play is tested in live situations, countless times, and in countless environments,” said Herrington. “Playing a range of venues allowed us to create variations of ways we play, so each song has a huge number of variations, which we can then draw from during a show.”

Describing the group’s collaborative methods, Simon said, “We listen well to each other. So over the years there’s been a real process of developing our sound together.”    

In March, the band releases its first full-length album, Awake and Dream, following a successful Kickstarter campaign late last year. They celebrate the release with a show at the Varsity Theatre on Saturday, February 27, supported by Baton Rouge-based folk-rock outfit The Humble Kind (“the most arrogant band in Baton Rouge,” Simon joked). More live gigs are expected in March and April, including an appearance at FestForAll in downtown Baton Rouge.

Recorded with Justin Spence at Presonus Studios in Baton Rouge, Awake and Dream was mastered at Esplanade Studios in New Orleans by John Fischbach, whose credits include work with Stevie Wonder and Carole King.

Throughout the recording process, said Herrington, the band aspired to capture the sound and energy of their live performances. “It’s a good representation of where we’re at now,” he said, noting that the album includes materials and brass elements missing from their previous EP.

“We didn’t rush the process,” Simon said about the album’s genesis, including how they selected songs which worked well alongside each other. “We gave the songs enough time to form, both live and in rehearsals. We knew exactly what we wanted from the recording, so there’s not a lot of guesswork.”  

Part of that confidence comes from their collective musical backgrounds as well as their dedication to the work. “We’re all very serious about music,” said Herrington. “Everyone in Minos the Saint has experience and perspective. It’s not our first band, and we’re all very serious about making this work.”

 “Right now, where this is, it all makes sense with us,” Simon said. “We have six people who can work together, not get in each other’s way, and say when we don’t like something.”

From this point forward, the band hopes to play more frequently out of state, along with developing new material. (Simon estimates they already have enough songs for a second album.) They will also continue exploring ideas for creative instrumentation and orchestration in their live performances, aiming to surprise both new attendees and seasoned listeners. “You want your audience to come out because they’re going to experience something where they don’t know what to expect,” said Herrington. “Every performance we give is different. We pride ourselves on that.”

To the curious, Simon advises, “Come to a show. You’re going to hear what we are live—and that’s the best version of ourselves.”

For more information, including live dates and information on purchasing the album, visit minosthesaint.com.